March 10, 2013

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Two Jewish-affiliated groups announced new relief for victims of Superstorm Sandy.

The interfaith Isaiah Fund is giving $1 million to low-income urban communities damaged during last October’s hurricane.

The money is expected to jump-start investment, according to an announcement made during a gathering in New York of disaster recovery experts and area community groups on March 6.

“After Hurricane Sandy, many of us were focused on meeting immediate critical needs for food, water, clothing and other essentials,” said Alan van Capelle, CEO of Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice, which houses and manages the Isaiah Fund.

“Our hope is that the $1 million investment announced today can have a deep impact in communities across New York and New Jersey that are still reeling from the effects of Sandy,” he said in a statement.

The Isaiah Fund was established in 2008 to help those affected by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. So far, it has invested $4 million in New Orleans.

Fund members include Jewish, Baptist, Catholic, Mennonite and other faith-based institutions, including UJA-Federation of New York and the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty inNew York.

Separately, the Jewish Federations of North America on announced that the Jim Joseph Foundation awarded it $1 million for subsidies for “Jewish day and congregational schools, Jewish camps, youth volunteer activities, and social service programming needs” in nine communities in New Jersey and Connecticut affected by the storm.

Religious institutions have so far been excluded from federal relief, although legislation now working its way through Congress would extend such relief to them.

Federations so far have raised $7.4 million for victims of Sandy.

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